Another Blade authentification

Unusual point of view

Thank you all for your help.

As a conclusion, I managed to X-ray this blade to find out if there is a brass sheath on the leading edge.

First, we can definitely said that this blade has been damaged and restored….

So J and S are verified, but i’m not able to recognize Cristofin…

By the way, Anne says it should be a JCS original blade. And as always I think she’s right 😉 thanks Anne.

I’ve forgot to notice that the bearing is present on the blade root. If someone is interested in, i can post bearing markings too.

Actually I didn’t managed to screw of the two big nuts around the bearing because of the rust.

Ps : the marker on the radiography ‘blade 3’ is about 60cm from the blade root

It’s all starting to make sense now. You have a blade which appears to be an original RA10064 JCS blade made by Horden-Richmond Ltd. Someone has restored it but has apply the wrong markings to it.

I also suspect this blade was actually damaged at some point because the tip is a lot more rounded than it should be and I can’t make out any sign of the brass leading edge.

I couldn’t tell you the date of manufacture but there isn’t anything I can see which suggests it is not a wartime blade.

So what is wrong with the markings?

1 The drawing numbers do not match. One says JCS the other says RTS
2 The disk is the wrong colour. For a Jablo blade it should be pink (although the colour can range from dull pink to brick red).
3 The information in the disk does not follow the Rotol guidelines. If it was a mass balanced blade it should have JCS or CS above the letter R and the serial 57226 below.

Other points of concern include the fact I can see brush marks in the black paint, the information in the disk has been added using a stencil, (for the smaller lettering it was normally done free hand) and the gap between the RA and 10064 on the drawing number is certainly unusual.

So are the markings definately ‘restored’? Well I think so.

The JCS marking seems to be strikeout. What does it mean?

J is for Jablo, the type of blade made from compressed birch boards.
C is for Cristofin, the covering on the blade which is a thermo-plastic resin.
S is for Sheath denoting that the leading edge has a brass sheath.

I’m sure that the blade tip has been mis-restored, that’s why i’m asking for the real shape of an RA.10046.

In my humble opinion markings on the adaptor ring are originals.
Is it possible that JCS markings have been strikeout by JPC or HRA company, so RS underneath would be the true type of the blade ?

The markings painted on the blade looks like originals too and i’m not sure that this part of the blade has been restored, but as anne says those informations does not match, so there is a doubt here.

So are the markings definately ‘restored’?

Many thanks Anneorac !

See pics attached.
Some scratch appears with the flash exposure.
The JCS marking seems to be strikeout. What does it mean ?

Is it possible to have more information, like date-code or stuff like that with JPC or HRA numbers ?

Aaah…hadn’t thought about it being a restored blade. That would explain a lot. Someone has restored it a panted it incorrectly.

I’d go with the information on the adaptor ring.

RA 10046 JCS
The drawing number with a suffix telling you that it’s a Jablo blade with a Cristofin covering and a Simple brass sheath on the leading edge.

JPC1832 / C RS
HRA 57226 C
These two bits of info suggest two companies have been involved with this blade. JPC is the Jablo Propeller Company (also known as F.Hills & Sons at one point in their lives) and HRA is Horden-Richmond Ltd.

S17 (1)822
Not a clue!

Something rather odd going on here. The information and the disk colour doesn’t match up. Yellow disks were for Waybridge blades and as far as I’m aware RA10046 blades were only made in Jablo and Hydulignum.

Now there is a chance your blade is an early Jablo example in which case what you’ve actually got is a white disk which has yellowed with age. The info in the disk is also rather unusual as I’ve never seen the prop type being included on a mass balanced blade.

Isn’t life full of surprises!

Thanks again 🙂 !

Any idea about the meaning of the other number marked on the base ?

I think this blade has been restored for display, probably the raison why there is RTS and JCS, and therefore i’m not sure about the real shape…
RA10046 is the drawing number but what’s the true drawing of this blade (any refs or pics) ?

how can i distinguish between RTC and JCS ?
Should I find leading edge protection on this blade ?

Hi all,
I need your help to ID a blade, possible Spit Mk.IX…

Markings are :
RA 10046 / RTS
below which is a yellow circle with the following:
R12
R
4F5/4
It is also marked on the base :
RA 10046 JCS
JPC1832 / C RS
HRA 57226 C
S17 (1)822
What’s the meaning of each number, and what they can tell about the blade history.Many thanks

This blade would have been fitted to a propeller Type R12/4F5/4. The base number RA10046JCS indicates it was originally covered with Cristofin whilst the blade number RA10046RTS indicates Rotoloid covering.
Amongst others fitted to:-
Spitfire F Mk. VII, VIII, IX fitted with Merlin 61, 63 or 63A.
Spitfire LF Mk. VIII & IX fitted with Merlin 66.

Definately Spitfire IX or XI – can you please post a pic of the lower part of the blade with the markings?